How to Connect to Your ARK: Survival Ascended Server

Learn how to find your server IP and join your ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated server using the in-game server browser or Steam.

Here's how to find your server's IP address and connect to your ARK: Survival Ascended server. You can join via the in-game server browser, Steam server browser, or direct connect.

Finding Your Server IP

Open the XGamingServer panel

Locate your IP address

Your server IP address and port are displayed on the Dashboard (e.g., 198.137.23.46:7777). The default game port is 7777 and the default query port is 27015.

💡 Tip: Click the IP address to copy it to your clipboard. You'll need the IP and port to connect directly.

Connecting via the In-Game Server Browser

Launch ARK: Survival Ascended

Open ARK: Survival Ascended from Steam or the Epic Games Store.

Open the server browser

From the main menu, click Join Game to open the server browser.

Filter for your server

Use the filters to narrow down the server list:

Set the Session Filter to Unofficial (XGamingServer instances appear here, not under Official)
Use the search bar to search by your server name
Filter by map if you know which map your server is running

Join the server

Select your server from the list and click Join. If the server has a password, you'll be prompted to enter it.

Direct Connect via Steam

If your server doesn't appear in the in-game browser, you can connect through Steam:

Open Steam

Open the Steam client on your PC.

Open the server browser

Go to View → Game Servers (or press Ctrl+Shift+S).

Add your server

Click the Favorites tab, then click Add a Server. Enter your server's IP address and query port in the format:

198.137.23.46:27015

📝 Note: Use the query port (default 27015) when adding to Steam favorites, not the game port (7777). The query port is what Steam uses to communicate with the server browser.

Connect

After adding the server, select it and click Connect. Steam will launch ARK:SA and connect you to the server.

Connection Information

Port	Default	Purpose
Game Port	7777	Main game connection port (UDP)
Query Port	27015	Steam server browser queries (UDP)

Both ports are shown on the Network tab in the XGamingServer panel sidebar.

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

If you can't find or connect to your server:

Server not appearing in the browser — ARK:SA servers can take several minutes to start up, especially after a fresh install or map change. Check the Console in the XGamingServer panel to see if the server has finished loading. Look for messages indicating the server is ready to accept connections.
"Connection timeout" — Verify the IP address and port are correct. Try restarting both the server and your game client.
"Version mismatch" — Your game client and server are on different versions. Make sure both are updated to the latest version. The server updates automatically on restart.
"Server is full" — The server has reached its max player limit. Wait for a slot to open or ask an admin to increase the limit.
Password prompt — The server has a password set. Contact the server owner for the password.
Mods downloading — If the server runs mods, your client needs to download them first. This can take a while for large mod packs.

To let others join your server, share the following information:

Server name — So they can search for it in the browser
IP and game port — For direct connect (e.g., 198.137.23.46:7777)
Password — If your server is password-protected
Required mods — Players need the same mods installed to connect

💡 Tip: After joining once, players can add your server to their Favorites in the server browser by clicking the star icon. This makes it easy to find your server next time without searching.

If you get stuck at any time, you can join our Discord.

How to Connect to Your ARK: Survival Ascended Server

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